It doesn’t take a lot to get gamers excited about a game, but I’d be lying if I said that Mad Max was interesting as a videogame license, especially with the likes of Fallout and STALKER to contend with. However, mention the fact that Just Cause 2 developer Avalanche Studios is working on said title and gamers might just change their minds.

Cue Mad Max, an Avalanche Studios-developed title that’s seen the release of its first ever “gameplay” trailer today. Judging from the looks of the trailer, it might as well be called Just Cause 3: Post-Apocalyptic Edition.

Calling it a real gameplay trailer might be a bit of a stretch, as most of the footage appears to be cinematic in nature, despite running within the game’s engine—but for the game’s sake, I hope that it’s representative of the actual game.

]]>http://www.gamefront.com/mad-max-gameplay-trailer-surfaces-doesnt-include-gameplay/feed/0Avalanche Boss: Games Are Traded In Because They Are Too Shorthttp://www.gamefront.com/avalanche-boss-games-are-traded-in-because-they-are-too-short/
http://www.gamefront.com/avalanche-boss-games-are-traded-in-because-they-are-too-short/#commentsMon, 17 Jun 2013 20:49:58 +0000Ian Miles Cheonghttp://www.gamefront.com/?p=226596The maker of Mad Max believes that the reason games are traded in often is because they have little to offer in the way of content.

Avalanche co-founder Christofer Sundberg believes that the vast majority of games are traded-in by gamers simply because they offer little in the way of replayability.

Speaking to Edge, Sundberg, who is also Avalanche’s Chief Creative Officer, said that Just Cause 2 is still played to this day by its many players in contrast to games with less replay value, which are traded in with more frequency. The studio is currently developing Mad Max, an open world post-apocalyptic game with a wide array of content.

“I’m sure it’s been an issue but that’s because games have been too short,” said Sundberg of the issue of used games “I mean when you can play a game through from eight to ten hours, I would return the game too, because there’s no reason for players to play again.

“If you’re offering little variation, then there’s no motivation for the player to keep the game – unless they want to have a nice bookshelf. That’s why we answered that with Just Cause. I go into game stores each week and I always go to the used game boxes – I usually don’t find that many [copies of Just Cause].”

Sundberg’s comments echo the words of Nintendo’s Reggie Fils-Aime of Nintendo, who said that the reason Nintendo platforms have the lowest trade-in rate of any platform is due to the replayability (via Polygon) of their games.

Precious petrol. In the post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max, it’s scarce. Those who have it give their lives to protect it, and there are hordes of mohawked, leather-clad marauders who will gladly slaughter innocents for it. Not so much in the Mad Max world being created by Avalanche Studios (Just Cause). During a live E3 gameplay demo of the open world car and melee combat adventure, brightly painted red tanks of gasoline were all over the place. And guess what? Groups of enemies were too dense to realize standing next to these potential bombs wasn’t the most ideal place to be during a firefight.

Sigh. As a long time Max fan, I was deeply disappointed to see the played out, lore-bending videogame trope repeated multiple times over the course of the 10-minute, hands-off demo. Sure, there are a handful of convenient storylines that could make the ample fuel somewhat acceptable (this particular, unidentified part of the map could feature a Bartertown-like refinery somewhere, I suppose), but does yet another videogame really need to make shooting fuel tanks a core part of the experience?

As I said, I’m a fan, so perhaps I’m being too hard on the simply titled Mad Max. There are reasons to believe this could finally be the proper Road Warrior game we’ve been waiting for ever since Max took on Humungus on the big screen way back in 1981. First and foremost is the team at the helm. With Just Cause 2, Avalanche proved they know how to make a frantic, fun vehicle-infused open world adventure. Just behind Avalanche is the fact this is a car and melee combat game, not a shooter. After all, bullets are scarce in the wasteland, so at least they got that right.

The basic (original) storyline, Avalanche explained, is that Max’s iconic vehicle, the V8 Interceptor, has been stolen. At first I thought the dev team might have truly lost their minds. A Mad Max game without the Pursuit Special? Huh? I stepped back from the ledge when the studio further explained players would be building their own signature vehicle, which, thankfully, has the core body type of the sleek muscle car that’s as much a core character in the films as Max himself.

And when Avalanche showed off the car combat in action, it looked terrific. Attacking a convoy of bad guy vehicles (led by, yep, a truck with a bright red fuel tank on it), Max swept into action in his sort of V8 Interceptor, his new sidekick, a mutant mechanic, holding on for dear life in the exposed, roll-bar supported back of the car. Visually, even in pre-alpha, it looked great, with clouds of dust billowing up behind the vehicles as the chase began and the cars themselves sporting a nice level of detail and looking very much like the armored, upgraded types the films are known for. Of note: Avalanche says there will be more than 50 authentic vehicles from the movies recreated in the game.

As Max got closer, attempting to ram off the rear vehicles, enemies leaped on his car and attempted to stab max with spears through the windows. Two were thrown off with sharp swerves, but a third needed a little extra incentive. A tap of the controller by the demoer, and the action zoomed into a close-up shot of Max in the driver’s seat as he pulled his sawed off from his hip holster and blasted the enemy off. Nice.

Other vehicles in the convoy were taken out with the help of Max’s new mutant buddy. On command, the hunchback picked up a harpoon gun, launching a spear into an enemy tire and sending it toppling into the dust. When Max finally got to the lead truck, the one with the bright red fuel tank on the back… well, let’s just say he accomplished his mission.

The demo shifted to melee combat, with Max exiting his vehicle and approaching an enemy lookout. Using a knife, his bare hands, and a metric ton of brutality, he was able to stab, snap, and pummel his way through a small band of enemies. The action looks smooth, with a touch of Batman’s counter-attack combat feel, and Avalanche leaned heavily on slow-mo effects for bloody killing blows.

With the outpost cleared, Avalanche showed off another element of gameplay when Max used his trusty binoculars to survey the nearby enemy base. Max was able to discover a massive enemy gate blocking the road was impenetrable with his current vehicle. No worries, that’s what your mutant mechanic sidekick is for. A quick trip to the garage and a new ramming grill was added. Interestingly, the larger grill increased the car’s weight and lowered its overall performance meter. In order to compensate, a larger engine and new tires were added.

With his newly pimped out ride, Max got back on the road. This time around, he was able to do some off-roading, courtesy of his new tires and engine, and avoid enemy patrols on the main road. When he reached the main base, it was back on foot, this time to take out an unsuspecting sniper guard from behind, slitting his throat. With his new toy (yeah, I know sniper rifles seem out of place in Mad Max, too), Max quickly scoped out an array of fuel tank to shoot, taking out a sizable force with just a few well timed shots.

The demo ended shortly after, and I left disappointed, but hopeful. After all, there’s still a long way to go before Mad Max launches in 2014, and with Avalanche at the helm, I’ve got the confidence they’ll get it right. Still, I’m crossing my fingers. Just in case.

]]>http://www.gamefront.com/mad-max-e3-preview-the-road-warrior-game-weve-been-waiting-for/feed/3Mad Max is a Post-Apocalyptic Game From Avalanchehttp://www.gamefront.com/mad-max-is-a-post-apocalyptic-game-from-avalanche/
http://www.gamefront.com/mad-max-is-a-post-apocalyptic-game-from-avalanche/#commentsTue, 11 Jun 2013 05:47:19 +0000Ian Miles Cheonghttp://www.gamefront.com/?p=225354It's a post-apocalyptic, open-world game from the makers of Just Cause and Just Cause 2.

Avalanche appears to have been very busy since releasing Just Cause 2 some years ago. The studio has been quietly developing Mad Max over the past few years, which was finally unveiled today at Sony’s E3 press conference.

Players take on the role of the titular character as he wanders the post-apocalyptic wasteland in true retro-futuristic 1980s form. As Mad Max, players participate in various missions across the wartorn environment by fighting on-foot as well as in vehicles against vicious gangs of bandits.

“Over a decade of creating open world experiences has led us to this point,” said Christofer Sundberg, Avalanche Studios Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer. “The Wasteland lends itself incredibly well to the high level of player freedom with which Avalanche Studios has become synonymous. This unforgiving environment inspired us to create a gritty and diverse experience where driving, fighting and scavenging are essential for survival.”

The game is set for release on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC platforms in 2014.